Apostle Islands

Apostle Islands

I 29.9/5:141

Official National Park Handbook

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Apostle Islands

A Guide to

Apostle Islands National Lakeshore

Wisconsin

Produced by the
Division of Publications
National Park Service

U.S. Department of the Interior
Washington, D.C. 1988

Using This Handbook

Apostle Islands National Lakeshore tells a fascinating
story of the interaction of mighty Lake Superior and
the land. The park offers physical evidence of the
powerful natural forces that shaped the Earth and
tells the history of the people who came to these
Apostle Islands to make a living.

This handbook is designed as a guide to the many
facets of the Apostle Islands. Bart 1 is an introduction
to the natural treasures and the human history of the
area. Part 2 looks at the inland sea, the islands them-
selves, and the wildlife of the area. Part 3 discusses
what to see and do at the park.

National Park Handbooks, compact introductions-to
the natural and historical places administered by the
National Park Service, are designed to promote pub-
lic understanding and enjoyment of the parks. Each
handbook is intended to be informative reading and
a useful guide to park features. More than 100 titles
are in print. They are sold at parks and can be pur-
chased by mail from the Superintendent of Docu-
ments, U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington,
DC 20042.

Library of Congress Cataloging in Publicatio00ala
Apostle Islands: a guide to Apostle Islands National
Lakeshore, Wisconsin.
(National park handbook; 141)
Jupt. of Docs„n6:: 129.9/5:141
1. Natural history — Wisconsin — Apostle Islands -*#
National Lakeshore — Guide-books. 2. Apostle
Islands National Lakeshore (Wis.) — Description and
travel— Guide-books. T. United Stated? National Park
Service. Division of Publications. II. Series: Hand-
book (United States: 'National Park Service. Division
of Publications); 141.
QH1£5:W6A68 1987 .m$fj.l5'2\ 87#30289

■fr GPO: 1987—181-413/60001

Parti

Welcome to the Apostles

Lake Superior's Jewels 6 ,

Part 2

Islands of an Inland Sea

The Lake 14
The Land 26* *
The Wildlife 43

12

Part 3

Guide and Adviser 52

Approaching the Apostles 54
Map of the Park 56
Recreation for Four Seasoas 58 . ■> :f
Exhibits and Historic Sites 60
Management and Safety Considerations
Nearby Attractions 62

62

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Parti

Welcome to the Apostles

Lake Superior's Jewels

Above, and preceding pages:
Like emeralds and jades set
in lapis lazuli, forested treas-
ures of the Apostle Islands
archipelago bask in the warm
light of sunrays low to the
horizon.

The northernmost point in Wisconsin is the archi-
pelago known as the Apostle Islands. Located just
off the northeastern tip of the Bayfield Peninsula,
the Apostles reach into the waters of western Lake
Superior and are the final defenders of the land
against the largest of the Great Lakes. There are 22
islands in the Apostles chain, all carved from the
same primeval landscape, each with its own special
beauty and secrets waiting to be discovered by
present-day explorers.

In 1970, 20 of these islands and 2,500 acres on the
northern tip of the Bayfield Peninsula were desig-
nated by Congress as Apostle Islands National Lake-
shore, managed by the National Park Service. In
1986, Long Island, which is now a peninsula, was also
included. The largest of the Apostle Islands, Made-
line, is not part of the National Lakeshore. It supports
a year-round community and, like the National Lake-
shore, is a popular summertime retreat and boating
area.

The Apostles dot a 720-square-mile area of Lake
Superior. To the sailor or power boater navigating
the channels between the islands, there is a sense of
wandering through vast watery valleys surrounded
by verdant plateaus. The islands within the park
range in size from 3-acre Gull Island to 10,000-acre
Stockton Island.

In general the islands' vegetation and wildlife are
similar, but each island has some special features.
Devils Island supports a fine boreal forest, the mixed
coniferous forest that spreads northward from here
to the tree limit of the Arctic. Gull and Eagle attract
countless numbers of birds and are designated as
bird sanctuaries. The larger islands are home to
beaver, bear, and deer.

The Apostle Islands archipelago was formed nearly
12,000 years ago during the last great Ice Age.
Today's islands are the visible tops of tall, rounded
hills formed by the virtual oceans of ice that were

then gouging their way southward. Surrounded by
mighty Lake Superior, the Apostles have been
touched and changed by both natural forces and
those of human trade and industry.

Nomadic woodland Indians began to make their
homes here soon after the glaciers retreated. With
the fur trade's advent, the Apostles became a cross-
roads for bands of Iroquois, Fox, Huron, Sioux, and
other Indians. By 1700, Ojibway made Madeline
Island their tribal home.

While the Pilgrims still clung to the rocky Atlantic
Coast, French explorers and missionaries had pene-
trated to the heart of North America. The French,
traveling the waterways of the Great Lakes, arrived
in the mid- 1600s. Teeming with fish, rich with fur-
bearing animals, and sheltered from lake storms, the
Apostle Islands area served as a center for commer-
cial activity on Lake Superior for the next 200 years.

Extensive shipping on the lake, symbolized today
by the Apostles' six working light stations, first
developed around the fur trade. The lake provided
an ideal trans-shipment location for furs bound, first,
to Montreal, and, later, down the Mississippi River.
During the height of the fur trade era the French and
the North West Company— just two of the major fur
trade operations— took 184,000 furs, including
106,000 beaver, in a single year. When demand for
furs fell off, commercial fishing developed, begin-
ning about 1830 and continuing, although much
diminished, to the present. Sandstone quarrying
began in 1869 and fed the upper Midwest construc-
tion industry for 30 years. Logging boomed in the
early 20th century and then collapsed by the time of
the Great Depression. Poor forestry practices re-
sulted in devastating fires on those lands not already
overcut.

Agricultural activity began in earnest on the is-
lands in the 1860s, when settlers began staking
claims under the Homestead Act. Farmers first

Hemlock trees provide a
pleasantly open forest floor
and an inspiring high canopy
for a backpacker's campsite.
Camper shuttle and water taxi
services ferry backpackers to
the islands that are open to
camping.

cultivated Basswood and Michigan Islands, planting
orchards and produce gardens. By 1868, they were
sending peaches, apples, corn, beans, potatoes, cab-
bage, and oats to the mainland. Despite these early
successes, farming on the islands was doomed.

The first problem farmers faced was the forests.
The dense, deep roots of the trees had to be pulled
out or dynamited to clear the land. The task was
arduous, but some farmers persevered. Next they had
to confront the short growing season, which made it
difficult for them to realize the yields that the rich
land promised. Finally, the islands themselves pre-
sented problems. Farm families were isolated not
only by land, but also by acres of water. Even a
minor medical problem could become a major emer-
gency, because getting medical attention was so
difficult. The farmers eventually moved to the main-
land, and trees gradually began to reclaim the terrain.

"We cannot imagine a more delightful and health-
ier retreat than these isles would afford for summer
residences," a Cincinnati Gazette travel writer ad-
vised readers concerning the Apostle Islands in
1856. By steamboat, eastern tourists sought summer
refuge here from the heat and humidity. Later, by
rail, the denizens of Detroit, Cincinnati, Chicago,
and other midwestern communities— joined by some
well-to-do southerners— also escaped to the Great
Lakes region in summer.

Chief among the Apostles' attractions ranked the
pure and exhilarating atmosphere. Superb fishing
and boating shared top billing, and for many vaca-
tioning urbanites the scenery itself sufficed.

Railroad travel democratized tourism to the Bay-
field Peninsula as it did vacationing in general. More
and more people of modest means began to seek out
America's natural wonders and sublime scenery, an
experience that the Nation was avidly adopting in an
attempt to rival Europe's heritage of cultural antiq-
uity. This development began a new thrust— eagerly
promoted by the railroads— in 1872 with the crea-
tion of Yellowstone as our first national park.

Hotel Chequamegon in nearby Ashland, opened
by the Wisconsin Central Railroad in 1877, lured
tourists to this area. The Omaha line built Bayfield's
first tourist hotel, the Island View, in 1883. This
grandiose wood structure boasted a grand ballroom,
parqueted floors, multiple porticoes, and a five-story

This grand wave-cut arch in
the sandstone cliffs of Squaw
Bay attests to the stupendous
sculpting power of Lake
Superior waters. Massive red
sandstones (opposite) line the
shores of many park islands.
Apostle Islands brownstone
was used in buildings through-
out the Midwest in the 19th
century.

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Sailboats anchor in a small
bay off Raspberry Island. The
clay banks in the foreground
almost appear to glow in the
warm light.

observation tower. In the 1900s the Soo Line tried,
without success, to promote a resort hotel on Made-
line Island. Major resort hotels were never built on
the islands although Madeline's 1834 Protestant mis-
sion house was later renovated as a tourist hotel. Still
later, part of the building served as the post office
for La Pointe, which is Wisconsin's oldest perma-
nent settlement.

Madeline Island, not part of the National Lake-
shore, boasts many summer residences. These date
back to 1894, when Ashland's Reverend Thomas
Gordon Grassie of Northland College moved into
two small shacks with his family and planned a real
cottage. First to build a cottage, however, in 1895,
was Dillon O'Brien, who taught at Bishop Baraga's
school in La Pointe. Historic photographs and sur-
viving structures of this period show that the work-
ing definition of cottage has changed considerably
since then. Ornate multi-story structures with sev-
eral fireplaces and with observation towers boasting
more square feet of living space than many modern
cottages— these were nevertheless modestly known
as cottages, or camps. Vacation property develop-
ment began anew on Madeline in the 1970s. Today's
summer population handily outnumbers year-round
residents by a factor of more than 10.

The Great Depression of the 1930s, combined
with the desecration of the land, brought tourism to
a temporary halt. It appeared that yet another
attempt to develop a viable industry in the region
had failed. It had merely faltered, however. With
diminished human activity throughout large portions
of the peninsula and archipelago, nature set about its
uncanny process of ecological recovery. New forests
arose, fueling a great increase in the population of
browse-loving deer. Blemished landscapes recov-
ered their forested scenic character. Abandoned
structures— fish and logging camps, lighthouses, and
quarries— began to fade into their surroundings.

Today's islands are nearly as wild as those that
early Indians visited in their birchbark canoes. And
while these landscapes recovered, increasingly ur-
banized Americans began more and more to make
forays into wild nature. Tourism again burgeoned.
With this new tourism came the desire to protect this
fortuitously islanded lakeshore area within our Na-
tional Park System.

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The Lake

Crystal clear cold waters
characterize Lake Superior
and underscore its scenic
charm. Preceding pages:
Starkly beautiful shoreline
cliffs mark the windward
meetings of the lake and its
Apostle Islands. Wave-lapped
rock formations and sandy
beaches stranded above
today 's water surface testify
to vastly greater lake depths
that followed the retreat of
great Ice Age glaciers.

The story of the Apostle Islands is a story of the
interaction between the lake and the land. Much of
the topography of the islands has been shaped by the
sometimes serene, sometimes pounding and turbu-
lent freshwater sea— Lake Superior. And much of
the reason that man has been drawn to the Apostle
Islands is the lake that provided transportation,
food, livelihood, and recreation. Superior deserves
its name; it is the greatest of the Great Lakes. This
northernmost of the Great Lakes is the most expan-
sive single body of freshwater in the world. It covers
31,800 square miles, measuring 360 miles at its
longest part and 160 miles at its widest. The surface
is 602 feet above sea level, and its deepest point is
1 ,402 feet below the surface.

Lake Superior is estimated to hold one-eighth of
the world's supply of freshwater, and that water is
some of the purest and clearest in the world. This
clarity comes from its origin. The bottoms of the
other Great Lakes, and most freshwater lakes, are
composed of silt, clay, and sand. This allows for the
transfer of minerals to the water, giving the lakes a
murky look and providing the nutrients for plants
and aquatic species to survive.

The bottom of Lake Superior was carved thou-
sands of years ago by glaciers moving across the
Canadian Shield, which consists primarily of granite
and granite-like rock. There is very little mineral or
nutrient transfer between water and granite, so
Superior lacks the nutrients to support abundant
aquatic life. This, combined with its size, depth, and
temperature, means the lake has fewer kinds of
aquatic species and smaller populations of those
species than its sister lakes.

Man, however, has fed himself from the lake since
he first came to its shores. Archeologists have uncov-
ered evidence of aboriginal fishing camps on the
islands. Fishing also has long been a means of making
a living in the Apostle Islands. Beginning in the

14

1800s, the lake trout, whitefish, and lake herring of
western Lake Superior were harvested and exported
to other parts of the United States.

Commercial fishing came from necessity. The
American Fur Company opened a trading post on
Madeline Island shortly after the War of 1812. By the
1830s, demand for furs was abating, and the Ameri-
can Fur Co. began to catch and sell fish to people
living around Lake Michigan and Lake Erie. There
was no way to transport the fish inland, so demand
did not grow, and American Fur closed its fishing
operation in 1841.

By the 1880s, two large commercial fisheries had
located in Bayfield, the N & F Boutin Co. and the
Booth Co. The opening of the railroads created a
means for transportation inland, and the fledgling
industry grew. Whitefish were the first "money catch."
But by the 1890s, their numbers were diminishing in
the lake, and lake trout became the species in
demand. By the turn of the century, the lake herring
harvest surpassed both. Fish hatcheries were in full
swing, attempting to replenish the quickly diminish-
ing populations. For the next 40 years, yields of all
three species grew.

In the 1950s, an intruder from the Atlantic entered
Lake Superior and created havoc. The Great Lakes
are connected to the Atlantic Ocean via the Erie
Canal and St. Lawrence Seaway. The belief at the
time the Seaway was created was that saltwater
species would not survive in freshwater, so there was
no danger. But one saltwater species that managed
to adapt, survive, and multiply was the sea lamprey.
This eel-like, parasitic creature attached itself to fish
and fed off their vital body fluids. It proceeded to
devastate fish populations in Lake Michigan and
Lake Huron. Fishermen then watched helplessly as
the sea lamprey advanced to Lake Superior.

The lake trout catch in Lake Superior dropped
from 3.1 million pounds in 1950 to 360,000 pounds in

Eroded columns, called sea
stacks, slowly but surely
succumb to Lake Superior's
relentless landscape artistry.
Destroying here, the lake
rebuilds elsewhere, as it has
at Long Island, a barrier
island built in the past 50
years.

15

1960. Something had to be done. Researchers devel-
oped a chemical that killed sea lamprey larvae with-
out harming other fish. Careful treatment of their
spawning rivers and recent building of barrier dams
has drastically reduced this predator.

Lighting the Lanes

The safest lanes for ships on Lake Superior are near
shore, yet even these are dangerous, for the Apos-
tles' reefs and shoals can wreck vessels. Six light
stations have been built on the Apostle Islands to
help sailors navigate the dangerous waters. At first
the purpose was to lead local traffic into harbor. In
1857, Michigan Island light was constructed to guide
traffic approaching from the east. A year later, the
La Pointe light further defined the eastern entrance
to Chequamegon Bay. By 1863, the Raspberry light
guided traffic bound to and from the lake's west end.
In the late 1800s, as shipping increased across the
lake, sailors began demanding that the lights shine
onto the lake itself.

Sand Island Light Station was erected in 1881 to
aid in growing eastbound traffic. Outer and Devils
lights, built in 1874 and 1891, respectively, could be
seen as far as 30 miles. They became major land-
marks along the trans-Superior shipping lanes.

Each light had a beehive-shaped Fresnel lens,
which magnified a small flame into a beam of light.
Before electricity, a lightkeeper made sure that the
light was clear and bright and cleaned the lens often.
Fuel was fed into the flame, and the wick was
trimmed to avoid a smoky burn. This chore earned
the keepers the nickname "wickies."

Originally, each light station was the home of a
keeper, his family, and one or two assistants. These
people lived on the island during the months that the
lake was navigable. Because fog could sometimes
block the lights, steam-powered foghorns were added.
The keepers worked hard to maintain the horns
so they would give off loud, intermittent blasts.
Later, radio beacons were added, so sailors could
use technology besides their senses of sight and
hearing to protect themselves. People no longer live
year-round in the light stations. But electric lights
still shine from the stations, providing a comforting
message to passing sailors.

Moderate waves make these
kayakers appear to be stand-
ing waist deep in the lake
offshore of Sand Island Light
Station. Kayaking around is-
lands is relatively safe, but
kayaking between islands can
be hazardous. Storm waves
come up quickly and the cold
lake waters make routine spills
potentially life-threatening.

16

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Of Ships and Wrecks

In 1884, a silver spoon engraved with
"Manistee " was reported found in the
stomach of a lake trout. This packet
steamer (below) carrying passengers
and cargo had wrecked in a storm in
1883. The captain sought refuge in
Bayfield and, having waited five days,
thought he had weathered the storm
and departed. Four months later pieces
of the vessel and cargo appeared.
Others would be found for several
years. No bodies were ever found.
Lake Superior can be dangerous, its
waters quickly turning to rolling waves
up to 30 feet high, and the Manistee

is only one of 25 major shipwrecks in
this region, as recounted in James
Keller's book, The Unholy Apostles:
Tales of Chequamegon Shipwrecks.
All together, about 100 vessels have
been wrecked in the Apostles area
alone. Two major wrecks occurred
in one storm in early September of
1905: the Pretoria wrecked off Outer
Island and the Sevona went down
within sight of the Sand Island light-
house. Six light stations were built on
the Apostles to mark lanes through the
islands— and to help prevent wrecks.

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Shipping lanes
Historic route of
Voyageurs Highway

Great Lakes Shipping

Bayfield and the Apostles
have fed furs, lumber, brown-
stone, produce, fish, and other
goods into the Great Lakes
shipping trade for 300 years.
Great Lakes routes, including
the Voyageurs Highway of
the fur trade, have served the
Atlantic via the St. Lawrence
River, and the Gulf of Mexico
via the Mississippi River.
Today these lanes traffic in
iron ore, wheat, and other
commodities produced
throughout the region.

The Lighthouse and Keeping the Light

The lens was the only thing that moved;
it went around. We used to wind them
up by hand with weights. . . . We had to
make sure those lenses didn 't stop. The
weights moved the light, and this was
timed. Every light was timed. On a ship,
| they could tell by the timing] what
island it was, and if we were out of
time, we heard about it quick. . . .

We cleaned the lens quite a bit, twice
a week. Polished the lens. Cleaned the
prism and kept that going. . . . Life was
cool and nice and quiet if you could
get along with your families. That's one
thing I made sure of: all four families

got along together (on Outer Island).
. . . They wouldn 't go into town half
the time. I would say, ''You fellows got
a couple days coming, why don 'tyou
go to town. " "Better out here, "[they
would answer].

Vern Barningham

Light Station keeper

at various islands

1924-1944

Raspberry Island Light Station

20

Michigan Island Light Station

Designed in Paris in 1822 by
August in Fresnel, the Fresnel
(franel) lens revolutionized
light stations. The lens cre-
ates an intense beam of light
that can be seen up to 30
miles away.

The lens is like a large glass
barrel. The surface is molded
and carved into a number of
bull-eyes surrounded by
prisms. As the lens revolves,
the combination concentrates
the light from a central lamp
in the center of the barrel
into powerful, individual
beams.

Originally the light source was
aflame. Fuel was fed into a
wick, which was then lit like
a giant candle. The light-
keepers and their assistants
trimmed the wick regularly
to prevent a smoky or un-
even flame and thereby be-
came known as "wickies. "

Light alone was not enough
to provide warnings to pass-
ing ships. A foghorn was
added to the equipment at
most of the islands. Later,
radio beacons communicated
with ships ' radios.

Devils Island Light Station

21

Life at the Light Stations

We never had another family living on
the island with us. We had a couple of
assistants who were married and just
had their wives. But the island couldn 't
accommodate two families, because
they had to use a shack!

There was a place for cooking and
eating, and [my parents] had one big
bedroom upstairs and we had the other
one. . . . My sister and I would sleep at
the head of the bed one night, my
brother would have to sleep at the foot,
and we 'd reverse. . . . Mother always
gave the [U.S. Lighthouse Service]
inspectors a bouquet, or if we had fresh
berries, she 'd give them a gift of that to
take back. But they always admired
her flowers!

Oh, for the 4th of July, we very sel-
dom ever got into town. We'd gather
logs that we could handle down the
beach, and we 'd build a fort. Build it as
high as we could and filled it with drift-
wood. In the evening, when it was get-
ting dark, we'd go down, Dad would
light it and Mother would have her
guitar and we 'd sing. We 'd have that
bonfire going and they must have seen
it all over the Apostle Islands, because
we 'd make a big one.

We never lacked for something to
do. We were always happy and busy.

Edna Lane Sauer

Daughter of Michigan

Island Light Keeper

22

The head and assistant keep-
ers of some of the Apostle
Islands ' lights get together
around the turn of the
century.

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Life at a light station was
more than just hard work;
there was usually time for
some fun and laughter. The
photo above, taken in 1915,
shows Mrs. Anna Benton
pushing her friend Mabel
Eddy in a wheelbarrow in
front of the Raspberry Island
Light Station.

The entire family lived at a
light station during the sum-
mer. The group in the photo
at far left was staying at the
Michigan Island Light Sta-
tion in the early 1920s.

The Marshalls and the
Bentons raise the flag over
Devils Island.

23

Harvesting Fish

It is hard to imagine a more grueling
task than commercial fishing in winter,
when fishermen sometimes had to walk
or crawl across the ice to get to an area
deep enough to set their nets. Until the
Depression, most of the fishermen had
other jobs to supplement their income.
During the Depression, when jobs were
scarce, many had to subsist on earn-
ings from ice fishing. In 1932, Lake
Superior fish sold for only 18 cents per
pound, so incomes were small.

In the early 1880s, most fishermen
used heavy linen gill nets. These nets
had lead sinkers along the bottom and

floats along the top. Fish attempting
to swim through the nets became en-
tangled. Large numbers could be
caught this way. But because the fish
died soon after they were trapped in

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the net, they had to be gathered and
salted, iced, or smoked almost imme-
diately to prevent spoilage.

Another kind of fishing net, the
pound net, was in use around the
Apostle Islands by 1885. Pound nets
set up an underwater barrier. The fish
follow the barrier, or lead, into a heart-
shaped enclosure, which in turn di-
rects them into a smaller trap called
the pot. The trapped fish cannot be-
come entangled in the net, so they do
not die. Pound nets set in these waters
can be identified by the long poles that
form a rectangle above the pot.

Fishing camps once dotted the islands.

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The Land

Shifting sands betray the
constant interactions between
land and lake. A tree may
gain a hard-won foothold
only to find itself later knee-
deep in sands. Sandspits may
grow into full-fledged islands.
And elsewhere, ever so slowly,
pounding waves chip away at
rocky shores, taking here
and building there.

During the Precambrian period about 1.2 billion
years ago, the Earth was in a period of violent
volcanic activity, and what resulted was lava-based
igneous rock covered by a 22,000-foot-thick layer of
sandstone. There are two groups of sandstone: Oronto,
which is found south of the Ashland area, and
Bayfield, which is found throughout the Apostle
Islands. Shallow seas with sandy bottoms covered
the areas that became the Apostles and most of
northern Wisconsin.

Glaciers began forming about 2.5 million years
ago. These massive fields of ice formed, advanced,
and retreated in cycles lasting thousands of years,
carving the face of the Earth with their weight and
power. The glacier that created the Apostles moved
south and east from the general direction of Hudson
Bay and retreated some 12,000 years ago. Because of
the massive weight of the ice, the glacier plowed like
a bulldozer. Softer soils and sediments were scraped
away to solid bedrock. The eroded sediments were
transported by the glacier— in some cases, hundreds
of miles.

Periodically the climate warmed and the glacier
melted, depositing sediments , which are known as
glacial till. In other instances, meltwaters formed
streams under the ice and in front of the glacier. The
meltwaters forced the deposit of sediment into dis-
crete layers. These deposits are called glacial out-
wash. Collectively, till and outwash are known as
glacial drift. The reddish cliffs common on the
western sides of islands, particularly Michigan, Oak,
Bear, and Rocky Islands, are composed of glacial
drift, mostly till. South Twin Island is almost com-
pletely covered by glacial drift.

As the glaciers retreated for the final time and the
Earth's surface warmed, meltwaters formed lakes.
As the lake levels dropped, land began to appear as
islands. Oak and Bear Islands are the highest of the
Apostles, so they would have been the first to break

26

the surface. Slowly the others emerged. Each of the
islands has a definite slope from north to south
because of a natural north-south tilt of the land as a
whole, and because, scientists believe, the weight of
the glacier pushed the land down. The land is now
beginning to rebound.

Beaches, Sandspits, and Tombolos

Depending on your perspective, the land begins or
ends at the shore. And it is here in this area of rock
and sand that we begin to study the Apostles.

There are three types of sandy areas on the
Apostle Islands: beaches, sandspits, and tombolos.
Beaches are in protected bays. Sandspits are low
fingers of sand that reach out into the waves of the
lake on the lee shores of some islands. They begin as
sandbars that grow together as waves move the
glacial till and eroded sandstone of the islands from
the stony north faces to the flat, protected surfaces
of the sandspits on the southern shores. Tombolo
means "mound" in Italian. It is a sandbar that forms
between and connects two islands. About 5,500
years ago, Stockton Island and Presque Isle were
two separate islands. Today, they are joined by a
tombolo. The apex of Stockton is a sandstone trian-
gle called Presque Isle (French for "almost an island").

Sandspits and tombolos are dynamic pieces of real
estate— breaking up and reconnecting, depending
on the wind, waves, and storms. The very fine muds
of clay and silt-sized materials in the soil of the
Apostles are carried offshore in suspension, leaving
the coarser beach fractions. These coarser fractions
may also be carried by waves, particularly during
storms. They are moved slowly toward the more
sheltered southerly sides of the islands.

The beaches, sandspits, and tombolos are literally
rivers of sand. The sands, cobbles, and gravels are
moved along by currents of wind and water and
eventually end up in the deep waters of Lake Supe-

Shattered trunks bleaching in
the sunlight on Stockton Is-
land are all that Lake Superi-
or's fury has left of a former
stand of trees.

27

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I

rior, from which they do not return. They are
continually replenished and maintained by the on-
going erosion of the sandstone bluffs of glacial drift.

The grasses and small plants that you see in these
areas serve a vital purpose. They work to offset this
ongoing erosion and rearrangement of glacial drift.
They spread their networks of tiny roots into the
ground, capturing some of the sandy soil, preventing
excessive erosion. Be careful as you walk along the
sandy areas not to damage or pull up the grasses that
are taking root in the sand; they help prevent wind-
caused erosion.

The Wetlands

Beyond the beaches are oftentimes wetlands: lagoons
and bogs, each with its own character. In the lagoons
of the islands, ducks, geese, bitterns, herons, sandhill
cranes, and other waterfowl live with fish, turtles,
beaver, frogs, and salamanders.

Lagoons are relatively stagnant, and sometimes
their still waters become covered by layer upon layer
of moss, algae, and plants. This leads, over genera-
tions, to the development of a bog— a fascinating
community of plants. Bogs are covered predomi-
nantly by a spongy plant known as sphagnum moss.
Other plants include two that survive by capturing
and digesting insects: the pitcher plant and the
sundew. Not many animals live in a bog, although
many come there to feed. The acidity of the soil, the
climate, and the availability of light and water are
the major factors that determine which plant com-
munity will become dominant in this evolving, dy-
namic process.

As the years pass and the bog fills in, other plants,
such as cranberry and bog rosemary, may take hold
and become dominant. The sphagnum moss and
other bog plants die and become peat, providing a
growing medium for other types of plants that have
adapted to the acidic bog soil. The plants, such as
leatherleaf and Labrador tea, root in the peat and
grow. And the competition for light for photosynthe-
sis causes a cycle to occur: the shrubs and trees
block the light, causing more of the bog plants to
die, creating more peat for rooting, and eventually a
more favorable atmosphere in which the next com-
munity may become dominant. Blueberry or huckle-
berry bushes appear and then eventually yield to

Wintergreen and reindeer
moss snug the ground on
Stockton Island, which boasts
samples of most of the Na-
tional Lakeshore 's habitat
types. Pitcher plants (oppo-
site) are carnivorous. They
satisfy their metabolic need
for the element nitrogen,
which their bog habitat soils
lack, by trapping and digest-
ing insects.

29

Relicts of the Ice Age

Apostle Islands display products of
three main episodes of Earth history:
1) 1 billion-year-old sandstone bed-
rock, 2) drift left from the last glacial
advance some 12,000 years ago, and 3)
shoreline features being produced to-
day. Orienta, Devils Island, and Chequ-
amegon sandstones were deposited in
shallow rivers and lakes. Their sands
were lithified bv the covering weiiiht

of thousands of feet of younger sedi-
ments now eroded away. Glaciers ad-
vanced and retreated here over the
past 2.5 million years. Ice sheets car-
ried soil and rock debris deposited as
glacial drift when they melted back
(see inset). Drift now covers the sand-
stones on both the lake bottom and the
islands. Colorful island bluffs are gla-
cial drift from the last advance.

SM

Retreating glacier

■ . , ' 'v .■

9,000 Years Ago

/Present-day^:

> j

Glacial drift

Chequamegon
Sandstone

Devils Island
Sandstone

Orienta Sandstone

trees. When the black spruce and tamarack become
dominant, the bog is becoming another plant
community— a wetland forest. As the remains of
dead plants build up, soil becomes less acidic in
character. This permits trees such as the white cedar
and balsam fir to colonize the area. The result of
succession is this— a forest.

Forests on the Islands

The boreal forest— which includes the balsam fir,
white spruce, and paper birch— was the first forest
to colonize the Apostle's region after the glacier
retreated. As temperatures rose, the northern hard-
wood forest advanced. Today these two forests meet
in the Apostle Islands. Besides boreal forest trees,
you also will see the sugar maple, oak, and yellow
birch, all northern hardwoods.

As in all plant communities, there is ecological
succession occurring in a forest. The trees create
shade that inhibits the growth of new plants. A
mature boreal or hardwood forest depends on natu-
ral disturbances to prevent degeneration. Heavy
snows and wind uproot trees, insects damage or kill
trees. Unfortunately, man, too, has had an effect on
the forests of the islands.

The most common kind of natural disturbance is
fire. Over the centuries, fires have scoured the
islands at various times. Historically, fires were more
frequent on tombolos than on higher ground. Stud-
ies show that at least nine fires burned through the
tombolo bog on Stockton Island over the last 250
years. The upland areas show evidence of only one
or two fires, if any.

Interestingly, the trees that grow in fire-affected
areas tend to be more fire-resistant. Hemlock and
yellow birch are very sensitive to fire and are apt to
be found in the upland areas of Stockton. However,
for about 6,000 years, the dominant trees on the
Stockton tombolo have been red and white pine and
paper birch. Pine has a thick bark, which resists fire.
Aspen and birch sprout quickly after a fire.

Besides fire, man also has reset nature's clock in
the forests. When loggers came, trees were felled
without worry of what would be left or how the loss
would affect other plants and animals. In the late
1800s many people thought wrongly that our natural
resources were inexhaustible.

Black bear sightings occur
only rarely on the islands,
but they do occur. Strong
swimmers, these bears can
move about between the
mainland and some islands.
This watchful bear exhibits
typical tree-climbing posture.
Bear cubs scale trees much
faster than squirrels can.

32

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Fall colors turn Apostle Is-
lands landscape scenes into
simulations of kaleidoscopic
views. Lichens (top) describe
a heart shape on a tree stump
left by a logger. Peninsula
and island forests, such as
this white birch stand (oppo-
site), lie in the transition
zone between the northern
hardwood forests, to the
south, and the boreal forests
that spread from here to tree
limit in the Arctic.

But the trees are returning to these islands. The
second-growth woodlands are about 30 to 60 years
old. Second-generation pioneer woodlands commonly
include the aspen and birch. Their sparse leaves
allow for light to reach the forest floor, creating
opportunities for other plants to root and prosper.
You may note ferns and shrubs poking up through
the leaf litter. Like many pioneer plants, they grow
quickly and alter the composition of the nutrients in
the soil. However, they are susceptible to many
factors, and when they die they are replaced by the
next generation of plants, which enjoy the benefits
of the altered soil.

White pines frequently follow aspen forests, al-
though they may have trouble competing with the
many shrubs that grow under the aspen. You can
make a reasonable guess as to the next generation of
forest by studying the seedlings on the floor of an
aspen forest. A next-generation boreal forest will
have balsam fir and white spruce seedlings. A hard-
wood forest will be more likely to have sugar maple.
In a boggy area, you may note black ash or white
cedar seedlings poking up through the leaf litter. It
may take centuries for the second generation to
become dominant. The roots of the aspen contain
suckers that send up new trees quickly. The second
generation has to beat these quick-growers to the
light and nutrients to survive.

Ecological succession is allowing the Apostles to
return to their grandeur following the devastating
natural effects of fire and insects, and of those
brought about by human activities.

Succession occurs on the beaches and in the
lagoons, bogs, wetland forests, and boreal and hard-
wood forests. Perhaps the latter two prove the most
dramatic differences between the second-growth
and the virgin stands of trees. You do not have to
look far to see what might have been. There are
virgin stands of tall, stately hemlocks estimated to be
300 to 500 years old. You can see dramatic examples
of these on Manitou and Outer Islands. Their height,
grace, and beauty are inspiring. No wonder the areas
are frequently called hemlock cathedrals.

35

Logging the Islands

The 1800s were a period of much
building in America, and the trees of
the Apostles were in great demand
because of their diversity and accessi-
bility. America wanted pine for build-
ing, hemlock bark for the tanning
industry, and hardwoods for fuel. But
transportation of cut logs was difficult
and expensive, unless you could float
the logs on water to mills.

In the Apostles the trees were never
far from the water, and softwoods float.
The Apostles could be logged year-
round; in winter the logs were piled
near the shore, awaiting a thaw for

Two men topple mighty hemlock near Squaw Bay.

36

transport. The topography of the is-
lands, which slants toward the water,
made it relatively easy to move the
logs from the forests to the water.

Large and small logging camps ap-
peared on the islands as homes for the
loggers. Trout Point on Stockton Is-
land, one of the larger camps, was oper-
ated from the 1890s until 1920. Sawyers
cut the trees, swampers cleared the
underbrush, road monkeys iced and
cleared the roads, and top loaders
placed the logs onto sleighs and slid
them to the water's edge. For their
efforts, the men received $20 to $70 a

month, depending on the job. At one
time, there were about 100 men living
in two bunkhouses in Trout Point.

Logging as a major industry ended
in the Apostles in the 1930s. However,
when the last trees were felled, gas-
powered saws were used to cut the
trees, trucks and tractors moved felled
logs, and, on Michigan and Outer Is-
lands, railroads transported the logs to
landings.

■

* •*

37

Apostle Islands Brownstone

The beautiful outcroppings of sand-
stone you see as you tour the islands
took millions of years to develop. For
about 30 years at the turn of the cen-
tury they were the source of one of
the most popular building materials in
the Midwest— brownstone. Hard, re-
sistant to crushing, and present in large
quantities on the islands, this stone
was in great demand.

In 1868, Milwaukee decided to build
its new courthouse out of midwestern
stone. The architects searched for a
quarry that could provide quality sand-
stone. They found it on Basswood

Island. Strong, French, & Co. was or-
ganized to begin quarrying.

The Great Chicago Fire of 1871 left
that city in ruins. Stone buildings would
have withstood the devastation better,
and Basswood quarry stone was much
used in rebuilding Chicago. The suc-
cess of the Basswood quarry led to
quarries on Hermit and Stockton Is-
lands. Throughout the late 1800s,
brownstone was making its way to
many Great Lakes ports and down the
river systems of the central United
States. Brownstone buildings graced
Milwaukee, Detroit, Toledo, Cincin-

M

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Hb*B

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Basswood Island Quarry, 1893

nati, St. Paul, Kansas City, Omaha,
and other cities.

By the turn of the century, changes
in the economic climate and in archi-
tecture had brought brownstone quar-
rying to a standstill. The new skyscrap-
ers were built with tall, steel skeletons
and required lighter-weight material,
and concrete replaced brownstone. To-
day, an abandoned stack of cut brown-
stone blocks sits on Hermit Island
waiting for a schooner that will never
come.

.*

The Resort Era

The atmosphere is pure and exhilarat-
ing, and game and fish are to be found
in great abundance in the immediate
vicinity.

Cincinnati Gazette, 1856

For more than 150 years, people have
been coming to the Apostle Islands to
rest, to relax, and to explore. Touring
the Great Lakes was a popular sum-
mer activity in the 1800s. People were
looking for ways to escape the hot,
humid city summers. They stayed in
Bayfield or in resorts like Madeline

Island View Hotel Bayfield

House on Madeline Island. Some
"roughed it," camping out at Camp
Stella on Sand Island. Celebrities who
came to escape the "heated term," as
summer was called, included Mary
Todd Lincoln and Calvin Coolidge.

With the coming of the railroad in
1883, tourism boomed. The Chicago,
St. Paul, Milwaukee, & Omaha Rail-
road built its own resort, the Island
View Hotel. It featured a grand ball-
room, parquet floors, elegant furnish-
ings, a magnificent view, and a "table
supplied with everything money and
energy can secure."

Tourism declined around the turn of
the century because of economic and
other changes. The Great Depression
proved a natural reprieve for the
Apostles because the intervening years
allowed the natural scene to recover.

In 1963, President John F. Kennedy
visited northern Wisconsin and flew
over the Apostles. His praise focused
national attention on the area's natural
wonders and beauty.

The Wildlife

Bald eagles, symbols of our
Nation, nest throughout this
area and are carefully pro-
tected. Mature bald eagles
(opposite) sport the charac-
teristic white head and white
tail that unmistakably iden-
tify them. Young eagles
(above), wearing dusky plum-
age on their heads and tails
until about age four, are often
mistaken for golden eagles.

Porcupines eat trees but are not found on the heavily
forested Apostle Islands. Beaver also eat trees, but
they have colonies on only five islands: Stockton,
Outer, Cat, Sand, and Michigan. Island environments,
naturally isolated, are noted for apparent wildlife
puzzlements. Porcupines are poor swimmers and
have been unable to cross from the mainland since
the islands emerged from Lake Superior. Skunks and
other winter sleepers are asleep when lake ice forms.
In the beavers' case, most of the Apostles lack
significant drainageways that beavers could dam.

This chisel-toothed rodent, then locally non-
existent, was nevertheless responsible for putting
Madeline Island on maps in 1659. French explorers,
pursuing the lucrative fur trade in beaver pelts,
paddled here in birchbark canoes that Indians had
built using knives made from beaver teeth. Wildlife
still lures many people to the Apostle Islands, but the
motivation tends now toward simple appreciation.

Capable of flight, birds easily reinhabited these
islands after the Ice Age. Birdwatchers flock to the
National Lakeshore, which provides breeding grounds
for more than 100 bird species, including the magni-
ficent bald eagle. Its numbers once greatly reduced
by persistent pesticides whose uses are now prohib-
ited in the United States, the bald eagle is recover-
ing, but at nowhere near its former numbers. It is
listed as a threatened species by the Federal Govern-
ment. Before the mid- 1940s, pairs of bald eagles
inhabited every 5 or 10 miles of Great Lakes shore-
line. By the 1970s no more than 24 breeding pairs
inhabited all that great territory. The Outer Island
Light Station house is now used as an observation
post for monitoring the activities at a bald eagle nest.

Besides eagles, other raptors, or predatory birds,
here include the osprey, peregrine falcon, merlin,
and several hawks, including Cooper's, sharp-shinned,
redtail, broad-winged, harrier, goshawk, and kestrel,
or sparrow hawk. Peregrine falcons kill their prey—

43

birds in flight— in astounding dives achieving speeds
of more than 200 miles per hour. Also hard-hit by
pesticides, peregrine falcons are an endangered spe-
cies slow to recover. Unfortunately, they prey on
migratory birds that still collect those debilitating
pesticides in Central and South American countries
where they have not been outlawed.

Loons, wonderful diving birds named for their
lunatic, maniacal calls, feed primarily on fish. Syn-
onymous with North Woods wilderness because they
tolerate neither persistent disturbance nor pollu-
tants, loons are almost incapable of walking and
usually nest close to water. Few nesting sites exist in
the Apostles, but loons are often seen around the
islands and Chequamegon Bay in summer. Here
birdwatchers also can add to their life lists the grebe,
cormorant, great blue heron, American bittern, sand-
hill crane, sora and Virginia rails, coot, piping
plover, and Canada goose. Ducks known to nest
here are the mallard, black duck, green-winged teal,
and red-breasted and common mergansers. Others
you may see are the wood duck, common goldeneye,
and hooded merganser.

All but 31 of 1,010 nesting pairs of herring gulls
recorded in a 1974 survey for nesting gulls and terns
on Wisconsin's coast were in the Apostle Islands.
Indeed, Gull and Eagle Islands are bird sanctuaries
closed to human disturbance for the protection of
nesting activities. Ring-billed gulls have usurped
many nesting sites formerly used by the common
tern, which was placed on the State of Wisconsin's
endangered species list in 1979.

Will you see bears? It's possible. What about
wolves? No. Black bears are strong swimmers and
sightings of these opportunistic creatures are some-
times reported on the islands. An adult bear and two
cubs were once seen swimming from the direction of
Ironwood Island to Manitou Island, where they
landed. Studies in the 1970s found bear signs on
several of the Apostles, but not on Bear Island!

As you scan the lake and landscapes against the
chance of sighting a loon or a bald eagle, keep your
mind's eye fixed on earlier times. Imagine watching
wolves chase down a moose or an elk, or a black bear
feeding on trout along a mainland stream. Watching
and imagining, you may discover the wildlife heritage
preserved in these lakeshore wildlands.

Beaver teeth and specialized
musculature make this large
rodent a mighty logger, leav-
ing signs of its work through-
out the Apostles area. They
have established colonies on
Stockton and Outer Islands.
Whitetail deer (opposite)
browse small trees and shrubs
for food and do not thrive in
mature forests. Their num-
bers may soar after fires or
logging clear the land.

45

Double-crested cormorant

Common loon

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Indian pipes

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Bloodroot

The Fur Trade

Historian David Lavender character-
ized the fur trade as a lucrative interna-
tional commercial empire held together
by birchbark. He was referring to the
birchbark canoe, that marvel of envi-
ronmentally adapted transportation.
With these wilderness craft fully wor-
thy of the Great Lakes, two entangled
European passions— furs and Christian
missionary work— were readily con-
summated. Seeking a protected base of
operations on Lake Superior, French
traders found the Apostle Islands in
1659. From about 1660 to 1840 the
area served as a major fur trade cen-

ter. At first, traders exchanged Euro-
pean knives, needles, cook pots, and
other manufactured goods for furs,
mainly beaver, trapped by Indians.
Later, fur companies hired trappers.
Voyageurs hauled the goods in 25- and

&%%£

'*•'

36-foot birchbark canoes over the
4,000-mile Voyageurs Highway to Mon-
treal. Beaver pelts fed the European
high-fashion market for felt hats for
nearly 200 years until silk hats became
fashionable. Trapping was hard work
done in winter when pelts were thick-
est. Steel leg traps caught the beaver
and were staked so the animal would
drown. Beaver were usually skinned
where caught. Back in camp the pelt
was scraped of its flesh and stretched
to dry, as shown at right. Furs were
appraised and paid for at the forts and
then shipped to European markets.

Regent

1825

"*r

Part 3

Guide and Adviser

,

1 N ,

Approaching the Apostles

Folklore holds that early explorers of
Lake Superior, thinking that there were
only 12 islands, named this archipelago
the Apostle Islands. Of its 22 islands,
all but Madeline are now, with a por-
tion of the Bayfield Peninsula mainland,
in the Apostle Islands National Lake-
shore created by Congress in 1970.
Historic Bayfield, the primary launch-
ing point for your island adventures, is
reached by U.S. 2 and Wisconsin Route
13 from Duluth, Minnesota, and Supe-
rior to the west, and from Ashland to
the south.

The drive on Route 13 from Superior
takes you along the peninsula's western
shores and across its tip, approaching
Bayfield via the Red Cliff Indian
Reservation.

Visitor Centers and Services A good
place to begin your National Lake-
shore visit, whether by car, afoot, or by
private or pleasure cruising boat, is at
the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore
Visitor Center in Bayfield. Located in
the old Bayfield County Courthouse
building, the visitor center itself reso-
nates with the peninsula's history.
Apostle Islands brownstone was used
to construct this stately building, as
well as many other elegant public
buildings and residences throughout
the Upper Midwest. At the visitor cen-
ter you can view audiovisual programs
and study exhibits about the park's
history, natural history, and recreation
opportunities.

At the information desk, operated
by the National Park Service, you can
get information and advice about mak-
ing the best use of your time at the
National Lakeshore and surroundings.
The staff also can direct you to sources
of information about commercial and
recreation facilities. Books, maps, nau-
tical charts, and other publications are

offered for sale by Eastern National
Park and Monument Association, a
nonprofit group that supports the park's
visitor services and research programs.
If you are traveling via Route 13
from the west, you may want to exit
north to the Little Sand Bay Visitor
Center (see map on pages 56-57). It lies
opposite Sand Island on the northern-
most extension of the Bayfield Penin-
sula. Current boating and weather
information is available there. Visitor
centers on Stockton and South Twin
Islands are open in summer.

Boat Trips Excursion boat trips (fee)
leave from Bayfield daily in the sum-
mer season of June through mid-
August. Apostle Islands Cruise Service
(fee) offers a variety of excursion trips
and a camper and hiker shuttle to
several islands. Late afternoon cruises
afford the possibility of superb sunset
vistas and glimpses of dramatic sand-
stone cliffs. Excursions may also leave
from Little Sand Bay for tours past the
historic lighthouse on Sand Island and
the mainland's shore of rock cliffs near
Squaw Bay. Obtain schedules and rates
information from the visitor center in
Bayfield. Note: All trips are weather-
permitting.

Water Taxi Service A water taxi ser-
vice (fee) operates between Bayfield
and any island cruising or landing
points for up to six passengers per trip.
Obtain rates and information at the
visitor center in Bayfield.

Car Ferry to Madeline Island Attrac-
tions on Madeline Island include Big
Bay State Park, with its lakeside camp-
ground, and the Madeline Island His-
torical Museum, with its exhibits about
the fur trade era. The island, which is
not part of the National Lakeshore,

54

Bayfield's old county court-
house serves as the park visi-
tor center. An excursion boat
tours the islands. Preceding
pages: Bogs add immeasur-
ably to the scenery and are
excellent places for quiet
wildlife watching.

also offers full tourist services. Sched-
uled car ferries from Bayfield run from
spring breakup to winter freezeup.

Boat Rentals and Charters Area ma-
rinas offer rental powerboats and sail-
boats and will arrange full- and half-day
trolling trips for trout and salmon.

Information For information about
the park, write to: Superintendent,
Apostle Islands National Lakeshore,
Route 1, Box 4, Bayfield, WI 54814; or
telephone (715) 779-3397 and request
the information desk.

For Wisconsin travel information
write to: Department of Development,
P.O. Box 7606, Madison, WI 53707, or
telephone (608) 266-2161.

Accommodations and Services Island
campsites provided by the National
Park Service are the only overnight
facilities within the National Lakeshore.
Nearby communities offer motels,
cabins, restaurants, stores, and full
travel services for motorists and boat-
ers. Throughout the peninsula, camp-
grounds offering a range of facilities
are provided by private and tribal
groups and city, county, and state parks,
and national forests.

Ranger-led Activities Programs ex-
ploring the National Lakeshore's nature
and history are conducted by rangers
on the mainland and on the islands.
Schedules for these programs and ac-
tivities are available at visitor centers.
Events include fish camp and light-
house tours, children's hours, island
tours, bog and beach walks, and camp-
fire programs on many topics.

55

' i* East Landing

WADevils Island
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North Twin Island

Rocky Island Aj/ South Twin Island Outer Island A

Dock Visitor Center

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Recreation for Four Seasons

Summer is the most popular season
for visiting the Apostle Islands, but
other seasons offer experiences and a
charm all their own. Birdwatchers flock
to the area in the spring and fall. Spring
is heralded by vibrant, colorful wild-
flowers. In the fall, trees take on hues
of russets and golds. Fall boating, camp-
ing, and hiking can be very rewarding.
Winter brings snow, ice, and silence
to the area, but some activity contin-
ues. Crosscountry skiing and snow-
shoeing are popular pursuits on the
mainland. These are fine ways to ex-
plore the beauties of the snow and ice
formations that cling to the cliffs. Ice
fishing is popular out on the lake. For
hardy souls seeking peace and soli-
tude, Oak, Basswood, and Hermit
Islands offer winter camping oppor-
tunities. Please note that winter camp-
ers should register at park headquarters
in Bayfield (see map). Winter's incom-
parable beauty masks harsh conditions
that pose extreme dangers to the un-
wary and unprepared. Temperatures
of — 30°F and wind chill factors of
— 60°F are not uncommon. Up to 100
inches of snow fall each year here.

Exploring Nature on Your Own Lake
Superior's many meetings with main-
land and islands provide diverse ter-
rains and environmental niches you
can explore readily afoot or by boat.
Most of the National Lakeshore's habi-
tats can be seen on a visit to Stockton
Island. You also will find beaches and
sandspits on Raspberry and Outer Is-
lands; bogs on Rocky, Outer, and Rasp-
berry Islands; lagoons on Michigan and
Outer Islands; and hemlock stands on
Manitou and Outer Islands.

Please see and heed Dangerous Waters
warning on page 62. Swimming is not
recommended in Lake Superior.

Boating Crystal-clear waters and sandy
beaches make the Apostles a boater's
paradise. Forget schedules, let the wind
be your guide and the sun your time-
piece as you navigate the islands. Boat-
ers can use the many island docks
maintained by the National Park Ser-
vice for security and as stepping stones
for explorations. Boat launch facilities
are available at Little Sand Bay and
at locations outside the National Lake-
shore boundary. Area marinas offer
equipment and gear sales and rentals,
and fuel, mooring, and storage for
boats up to 60 feet long. (See map for
locations of public docks.) Many island
bays and coves offer pleasant anchor-
ages near beaches and sandspits. The
summer months generally feature clear
skies and pleasant temperatures, but
be alert for changes in the weather.
Storms come up quickly, and the lake
is a cold and dangerous place for a
dunking. Rangers on park patrol boats
and the U.S. Coast Guard monitor
marine radio Channel 16. Obey posted
regulations and information signs. For
National Lakeshore information and
activities, and events schedules, boaters
can tune in to radio 1610 AM near Bass-
wood, Stockton, and Devils islands.

Pumping of holding tanks and bilges
into the lake violates strictly enforced
state and federal regulations.

Canoeing and Kayaking Canoeists
and kayakers may take their crafts out
to the islands aboard excursion boats
(see pages 54 and 55). Paddling along
the islands' shorelines offers a good
look into the clear depths of Lake
Superior. You will also discover deli-
cately carved sea caves and rocky
ledges. Exploring the quiet leeward
island bays by small craft contrasts
pleasantly with the unpredictable and

58

Hikers and campers reap the
Apostles 'bounty of relaxed
solitude. By hanging their
food bag (bottom photo),
campers can discourage
animal foragers.

often dangerous open waters of the
channels between the islands.

Scuba Diving Scuba diving in the
clear waters around the islands is in-
creasingly popular. Diving permits are
required and can be obtained at the
visitor center in Bayfield. Disturbing
or removing artifacts is prohibited.

Camping Public and private camp-
grounds abound throughout the penin-
sula and islands— see the map on pages
56 and 57. In the National Lakeshore
camping is permitted only at the desig-
nated island campsites, including the
group and family campsites on Stock-
ton Island, or in the backcountry. The
brochure "Camping in the Apostle Is-
lands" indicates areas closed to camp-
ing. It is available from the park at the
address on page 55. Camping permits,
available at visitor centers and ranger
stations, are required; that includes
group/family campsites on Stockton
Island. Build fires only in grills, pits, or
rings at campsites. Pack out all trash
and do not bury refuse.

Lake water should be boiled at least 5
minutes before drinking to destroy
waterborne organisms. Do not pollute
the lake with soap, fish entrails, human
waste, or other contaminants.

Hiking Trails for hiking are available
on many of the islands. They range in
length from a 14-mile trail on South
Twin Island to Stockton's 14Vi miles.
Islands with developed hiking trails
include Oak, Stockton, Rocky, Bass-
wood, Otter, Manitou, Raspberry and
Sand. On some islands you can also
follow old logging roads. Day hikers
enjoy the short, self -guiding trail on
Stockton. Oak Island's interesting to-
pography, scenic overlook, and back-

59

country camping make its 1 \lh miles of
trails popular for hikers seeking seclu-
sion. Hiking is permitted on all islands
except Gull and Eagle, bird sanctuar-
ies closed to human use. Hiking the
Apostles can be fun, educational, and
inspiring. Keep an eye peeled for sites
of former logging and fishing camps,
quarries, and farmsteads.

All hikers must be prepared with
warm clothing, even in July and Au-
gust. Long pants and long-sleeved shirts
are the best protection against mosqui-
toes, but apply insect repellent to ex-
posed skin. If you get lost, stay near
the water's edge and signal for help.
Hiking near cliffs can be dangerous
because of slippery and loose rock.
Backcountry hikers— please tell your
plans to a ranger and report back
when your trip is completed.

Fishing Lake Superior provides good
sportfishing for lake, brown, and rain-
bow trout and other species of the
salmon family. Charter fishing trips
can be arranged with local marinas.
Islands offer no inland fishing, but
peninsula streams harbor brook, rain-
bow, and brown trout and spawning
salmon in season. A State of Wiscon-
sin fishing license and a trout stamp
are required and state regulations ap-
ply. Licenses and stamps are sold
throughout the area. Refuge areas are
closed to fishing. If you have ques-
tions, check at a visitor center or with
a ranger. Please do not dispose of fish
entrails in the lake or streams.

Exhibits and Historic Sites

Be sure to see the exhibits at the visitor
centers at Little Sand Bay and in Bay-
field (see page 54). On South Twin
Island a geology exhibit gives you in-
sight into the Earth forces that created
and shaped the Apostle Islands and
their Lake Superior environs. Exhibits
on Stockton Island delve into the area's
natural history.

Insights into the fur trade and other
local history themes await you at the
Madeline Island Historical Museum of
the Wisconsin State Historical Society.
Chippewa (Ojibway) Indian arts, crafts,
and culture are portrayed at the Buffalo
Arts Center on the Red Cliff Indian
Reservation near Bayfield.

Logging Camps and Quarry Sites

Clearings containing the remains of
logging camps can be found on most
islands, one of which was logged as
recently as 1970. At one time, Oak
Island boasted five lumber camps. At
some of these campsites you may see
spikes, saws, shoes, harnesses, and
even cans of baked beans. Please leave
things as you find them for the next
person to discover and enjoy. All arti-
facts are protected by federal law.

Quarry pits on Stockton, Hermit,
and Basswood islands recall the boom
years of the Apostle Islands brown-
stone industry in the late 19th century.

Light Stations To see a lighthouse as
it was when keepers and their families
lived there, visit the Raspberry Island
Light Station. The grounds and building
are open for touring in summer. Re-
creations of its flower and vegetable
gardens and a croquet court on the
lawn bring back the lifestyle that ac-
companied this important era of Great
Lakes shipping. A lightkeeper and his
family spent large amounts of time in
relative isolation at these stations. How-

60

Apostle Islands brownstone
became elegant city buildings
throughout the Midwest. Pits
and blocks may be seen on
three islands. Hokenson
Brothers Fishery buildings
(bottom) portray Great Lakes
fisheries.

ever, if he had an assistant, and that
assistant had a family, loneliness was
not as big a problem— provided they all
got along! Six light stations were built
on the Apostles. All of these are still in
use, although no one tends them full
time. All now operate automatically.

Manitou Fishing Camp Manitou Is-
land's fishing camp, restored by the
National Park Service, is a rare sur-
viving example of the island-based
camps that once served the lively com-
mercial fisheries here. Built about 1900,
it was first used by loggers. Then, itiner-
ant fishermen drifted in and out. About
1938 the camp was occupied perma-
nently as a commercial fishing base.
Today it contains two cabins, two net
and storage sheds, a smokehouse, and
other buildings and a dock open for
touring in summer.

Hokenson Brothers Fishery At Little
Sand Bay on the mainland portion of
the National Lakeshore stands an en-
clave of buildings near an L-shaped
dock. This was the site of the Hoken-
son Brothers Fishery, a commercial
fishing operation in which Hokenson
family members performed every step
of the process. They caught, picked,
cleaned, processed, packed, and
shipped their bounty— relying on no
middlemen. In 1937, Leo, Roy, and
Eskel Hokenson even built their own
fishing tug, the Twilite. Today the build-
ings contain a museum with displays
of the many implements necessary to
run this business. The area is a combi-
nation fishery, carpenter's workshop,
and blacksmith shop. The Twilite, re-
stored by the National Park Service,
sits on the beach nearby, an aged re-
minder of its glory days.

61

Management and Safety Considerations

Safety concerns and management reg-
ulations are listed under specific activ-
ities in this handbook. Read these
sections before you get underway.
Other considerations are listed, or reit-
erated, here. Questions about any ac-
tivity can be answered at visitor centers
or ranger stations or by a park ranger.

Respect Property Rights Many cab-
ins and docks within National Lake-
shore boundaries are still privately
occupied. Please respect these rights;
do not trespass.

Pets Pets must be leashed and under
physical control at all times. Maximum
leash length is 6 feet.

Drinking Water Warning Lake water
should be boiled for at least 5 minutes
before drinking.

Camping Permits Camping permits,
available at visitor centers or ranger
stations, are required for all island
camping.

Fires and Trash Build fires only in
grills, pits, or rings at designated camp-
sites. Grilling aboard boats tied to pub-
lic docks is prohibited. Pack out all
trash and do not bury refuse. Dispose
of human waste properly.

Swimming in Lake Superior is not
recommended. Lake Superior waters
seldom are warm enough for comfort-
able swimming except in shallow, pro-
tected bays. No lifeguards are on duty
within the National Lakeshore.

Warning: Dangerous Waters Lake Su-
perior waters are dangerously cold and
sudden storms arise. The lake's history
recounts numerous shipwrecks and vi-
olent storms. Small boats, canoes, and

kayaks should be used with extreme
caution on the lake. Just offshore, 50°F
waters can cause even strong swim-
mers to suffer hypothermia— critical
loss of body warmth— in 15 minutes.
Keep an eye on the weather even on
calm days. Before you go boating, get
the current weather forecast from the
U.S. Coast Guard Station at Bayfield
or at an island ranger station. The
marine weather frequency on your ma-
rine radio is 162.55 MHz (Duluth). For
safe navigation refer to Lake Nautical
Chart #14973 or #14966.

Holding Tanks and Bilges Pumping
of holding tanks and bilges into the
lake violates state and federal regula-
tions, which are strictly enforced.

Nearby Attractions

Madeline Island is a major re-
sort center offering full tourist
services, Big Bay State Park, and
Madeline Island Historical Mu-
seum. Reach it by car ferry from
Bayfield. Bayfield, center of penin-
sula tourism, offers the Cooperage
Museum and an architecture
walking tour. Fairs and festivals
take place in August, October,
and February. Red Cliff Indian
Reservation offers the Buffalo Art
Center, a museum shop, and
camping and boat launch facili-
ties. Festivals are held in August
and September. Chequamegon
National Forest lands offer camp-
ing and other recreational facili-
ties on the Bayfield Peninsula.

62

National Park Service

The National Park Service expresses its appreciation
to all those persons who made the preparation and
production of this handbook possible. The creative
development of this book was provided by Mobium
Corporation for Design and Communication of
Chicago. The Service gratefully acknowledges the
assistance given this handbook project by Eastern
National Park and Monument Association, a group
that aids in the visitor services and research programs
at Apostle Islands National Lakeshore.

Unless credited below, photographs and illustra-
tions come from the files of Apostle Islands National
Lakeshore and the National Park Service.

Larry F. Abrams 21 Devils Island Light Station

Bayfield Heritage Association 36-37 oxen

Leon Bishop 30-31

Ila Bromberg 44, 49 marshmarigold/violets/bloodroot

John Dawson 51 beaver pelt

Ken Dequaine 12-13, 27

R.R. Donnelley Cartographic Services 56-57

Neil J. Howk 2-3, 35 lichens, 55 visitor center

John and Ann Mahan 28, 29, 46 loon

Minnesota Historical Society 40-41 tourists

National Geographic Society 50 beaver

Dr. Bruce Culver Prentice 46 sapsucker

Public Archives of Canada 50-51 voyageurs

Lynn Rogers 33, 45 beaver, 46 cormorant/owl, 47 all

Phil Schermeister 4-5, 10, 15, 49 sundew

R. Hamilton Smith cover, 6, 7, 9, 14, 17, 26, 52-53

State Historical Society of Wisconsin 40 hotel

Vaughn Public Library 18-19 Manistee

Dick Verch 46 redpoll

U.S. Department of the Interior

As the Nation's principal conservation agency, the
Department of the Interior has responsibility for
most of our nationally owned public lands and natu-
ral resources. This includes fostering the wisest use
of our land and water resources, protecting our fish
and wildlife, preserving the environmental and cul-
tural values of our national parks and historical
places, and providing for the enjoyment of life
through outdoor recreation. The Department assesses

our energy and mineral resources and works to
assure that their development is in the best interest
of all our people. The Department also has major
responsibility for American Indian reservation com-
munities and for people who live in island territories
under U.S. administration.

Apostle Islands

Official National Park Handbook

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